Serbian History 101

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Serbian History 101
PA
United States
m.bizic@comcast.net

A Tribute to the late Aleksandar & Wilma Crepajac

Aleksandar (Zandor) and Wilma Crepajac are both gone now, but the two of them left behind a legacy of love for their Serbian people. This website is posthumously dedicated to the Military Major who was declared a "persona non-grata" during the Communistic rule in the former Yugoslavia after WWII. Slava mu! Vjecnaja Pamjat! To you and your beloved "Vilma", a Wreath of Valor for preserving the best ideals of the Serbian people in America.

Zandor in King Aleksandar's Military Academy of 1924. Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, Slovenes

"Sandor" was born July 17, 1903 in Sremska Mitrovica, Yugoslavia, a son of the late Ljubomir and Sofia (Boric) Crepajac. Aleksandar Crepajac studied at the Yugoslav Military Academy, graduating in the Class of 1924. He was a Major in the Royal Yugoslavia Army's 44th Infantry Regiment, and took part in the VERY POPULAR people's uprising against Hitler when Regent Prince Paul signed a pact, supposedly to save the country.

While in America, Aleksandar worked as an engineer at Pullman, Inc. with good friend, Vlastimir Djordjevic. Aleksandar died in 1998 at the age of 94.

Wilma passed away at age 93 in Good Samaritan Hospice on January 18, 2009. Born Oct. 7, 1915 in Essen Germany, she was the daughter of the late Paul and Sophie (Feldhot) Pohle.

The two met while Zandor was a prisoner in the WWII camp.

While in Germany (where she said she witnessed so many WWII tragedies and atrocities), Wilma was a well-known senior midwife who delivered thousands of babies. While living in America, Wilma also was famed for her baby delivery skills. Too, she worked in the Sewickley Valley Hospital's Operating Room as a respected assistant to the doctors.

Both Aleksandar and Wilma were very kind to all, respectful and deeply loving to each other, and very religious members of the St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church in Aliquippa, PA.

I'd like to publicly thank their grandniece, Annegret ("Ann") Rachuba, of Datteln, Germany (daughter of Annelore and Lotha Mix), for her goodness and compassion in making sure the Serbian historical records and books pertaining to WWII and King Peter II, whom Aleksandar guarded while a Major in the Yugoslav Army, would be preserved for future studies.

"Bozich 1919" (Christmas, Jan. 7, 1919)

June 30, 1923 and the names found below.....

Serbian Orthodox Aleksandar Crepajac, a Major on Active Duty in the 44th Inf. Reg. before being taken prisoner and given a number #140 in Oflag XXIC.

Next of kin would be Dusanka Crepajac, Belgrad IV, Dalmatinski 40/II . Aleksandar's father's name was Ljubomir, and his mother's maiden name was Sophia Boric.

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103 books from the Crepajac Library were given to the Joe Buley Library at the Serbian Orthodox Monastery at Gray's Lake, IL. The catalogued books traveled via the bus rented by St.Elijah Choir of Aliquippa to Joliet, IL, where the choir was singing at the 68th Annual Serbian Singing Federation Festival in Joliet, Illinois. From there, our good friend, Joey Puhar, a member of the "Brankies" Choir of Chicago, took them to the Monastery for us, delivering them to V. Rev. Tom Kazich on Memorial Day, 2009.

136 books from the Crepajac collection will form the nucleus of the proposed special WWII Research Library to be built in Pranjani, Serbia, near the airfield that saw the rescue of over 500 U.S. airmen trapped from behind German-occupied lines in Serbia. Three boxes of books were sent by Col. Cappello to Belgrade for distribution. Four more boxes are packed and ready to ship.

Since the word of the Pranjani Library got out, I have received the following donations:

$20.00 from Joe & Debbie (Karlo/Kneib) Burger of Pittsburgh, PA

$25.00 from Nick and Claudia Karlo of Warren, Ohio

$100 from the St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church Choir of Aliquippa, PA

One large box of gently used Children's Books from neighbors Paul and Sherri Von Stein

Two small boxes of gently used Children's books from neighbors Mike & Monique Pietropaoli

Let's keep it growing!

For Aleksandar and Wilma Crepajac,

"Vjecnaja Pamjat. Memory Eternal!"

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Update: 7/25/09

Fifty more children's books were sent to Pranjani, purchased and sent by Milana Bizic.

From AMERICAN-SERB LIFE magazine 1948

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One of the most popular books found in most Junior High School Libraries was SERGEANT NIKOLA, also called "Chetnik Brigades." It was written by Istvan Tamas and published by L.B. Fischer Publishing Corporation, NY. The NEW YORK TIMES had a literary review of the book on 23 Nov. 1942. This fiction book was so popular it had to be reprinted! My well-worn out first edition came from the Fort La Bosse School District No. 41 of Manitoba, Canada and was still in circulation by the 1970s! The second printing of the book was also in 1942. My second copy with the 2nd printing of the book came from the Hopkinsville, Kentucky, USA Public Library.

p.308

"Our next aim is Bitolj. Then will follow Prilep, Sarajevo, Skoplje, Nish, Kragujeac and Belgrade! We shall not rest until every German has been swept from our country!"

"Zivio!" cheered our troops again.

"Ziveo!" echoed the wind, echoed the black-robed widows and the dead under the fresh earth....

Mihailovich continued thus: "If the United Nations wants to gain a foothold, they would have to come across the Dalmatian Coast, since the Balkans are the Achilles' heel of the Axis. We can break the Italian blockage with a minimum of losses and the least opposition by landing in the ports of Dubrovnik and Durazzo. They could come not only on ships, but on troop transport planes, landing on airports held by us, while our troops would cover the invasion. Then, with the Black Mountains (Crna Gora), better than any man-made fortress, behind us, we could launch a general offensive against the army of occupation. The completely equipped American-English army could finish Italy off in a few weeks; and across Bulgaria, caught in a pincers, and weakened Roumania,

p.309

with Russia, we could also deliver the stab of mercy to the Germans caught between two fires."

Then Popov, our radio officer, excitedly announced: "The Belgrade Oberkommando is paging the Commander-in-Chief!"

Mihailovich took the microphone into his hand.

"I am listening."

.......................you have to read the rest yourselves....

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SERGEANT NIKOLA was also reviewed in the January 1943 issue of Harper's magazine by Katherine Jackson.

http://www.harpers.org/subjects/SergeantNikolaBook

Accompanying King Peter II on his first trip to America.

Aleksandar, standing far left, again "standing guard" with his beloved King Peter II, while the King visited Aliquippa, PA at the home of V.Rev. Vlastimir Tomich.

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Wilhelmine Crepajac, photo taken in Dorimund, Wesienhellweg 26.

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Aleksandar as a prisoner of war in Oflag 140.

Aleksandar was from Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia, Yugoslavia, while Wilma was from Essen, Germany.

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Souvenir of the Serbian National Defense from 1941-1961. It is dedicated to: "Ovo Spoenicu posvedjujemo muchenichkoj seni djenerala Draze Mihailovich i borcima sprskim palim za 'Krst casni i slobodu zlatnu", sa narochitim osvrtom na zivot i rad srpski rodoljuba Jovana i Mihaila Duchica i njihovih preminulih saradnika--- clanoa Sprske narodne odbrane."

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King Peter and his guards

Good friend of the Crepajacs whose photo hung in their dining room. He can be seen in the photo at top of this page, guarding young King Peter II with Aleksandar.

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From Aleksandar's books:

Click to enlarge. American Serbian girls from Chicago with photos of Draza and President Roosevelt.

V" for Victory in the War Bond Drive.

Click to enlarge. This is the symbolic christening of the TWO airplanes bought by the American Serbs by selling war bonds from May 1 to July 2, 1944. The two airplanes were called "The American Serb" and "The Spirit of St. Sava." There are attempts now to say this never happened. Here is your history. Make sure you know it!

Click to enlarge.

10th Jubilee Congress of the Serb National Defense Council, 1951. St. Bishop Nikolai in front! Vlajko Ljugona in 2nd row. Glisho Rapaich in end seat, front row. U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor winner, Big Jake Alexx Mandusich, etc.

Don't let anyone tell you that the Serb Natl. Defense Council was anything but the BEST of our American Serb leaders! 100% Americans first and foremost, but also wanting the best for their fellow suffering Serbs!

Click to enlarge. Western Union telegraph to the President of France in Paris, asking that the execution of Gen. Mihailovich be stopped. Signed by Rt. Rev. Bishop Dionisiye, Lou Christopher (SNF), Mitchell Duchich (Serb Natl Defense Coucil of America)

Proclamation from Edward Kelly, Mayor of the City of Chicago, "the valor of General Draja Michalovitch and his legions of Chetniks is symbolic of this great universal freedom. April 1, 1943 was CHETNIK DAY in Chicago, and "all citizens are urged to salute the glorious deeds of these patriots and allies."

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Button owned by the Crepajacs. Photos attest to their attendance at King Peter II's funeral in Libertyville, IL in 1970.

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From the Crepajac Collection, including the American-Serb Life magazine seen below.

This AMERICAN-SERB LIFE magazine from March/April 1948 was published by my dad, Milan Karlo.

In this and subsequent issues he documented the day-by-day diary of OSS Captain Nick Lalich. Thus, I knew from the time I was 7 yrs. old of the daring rescue of the 513 U.S. Airmen from behind German-occupied enemy lines in Yugoslavia's Serbia.

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Always click on the bottom right hand corner of the photo to enlarge picture.

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Slava mu Cica Draza!

The last page of SERGEANT NIKOLA,p. 310, says this:

And the Chetnik divisions, legions and brigades marched forward with our song on their lips:

Darling, please do not cry,

It need not be good-bye.

Under the blue Serb sky

True Chetniks never die,

Never die. Never die! Never die!

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ANOTHER WWII BOOK!

Thank you to Carl Savich for sharing this WWII book and subsequent info with us also!

"Another book that was popular during World War II but is largely forgotten now is THE CHETNIKS by George Sava, published in 1942 by Faber and Faber in London, in the UK. It was reprinted several times.

In the attachment I have the cover of the 1955 reprint by Regular Publication. The cover has the following description on the top: "General Mihailovich, the famous guerrilla leader and the story of the heroic struggle of these guerrillas is told in the pages of this book."

George Sava, the British author, described the book as follows:

"The names of friends I have re-christened. I have altered dates and changed the names of places. This much is fiction: the rest is fact. The ... exploits of the guerrillas, the Chetniks, I have reconstructed from letters and reports."
---p. 8.

First published in November, 1942.

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Here's another book photo Carl found!

Wrath of Eagles:

A Novel of the Chetniks

by Frederich Heydenau, which was published in 1943 in New York by E.P. Dutton. The novel was translated from the German, Der Zorn der Adler, by Barrows Mussey.

Book came today and I'm loving it! 7/28/09

New York Times Book Review By ROBERT ST. JOHN,
June 27, 1943, Sunday, Section: Book Review, Page BR6:
Balkan Supermen: WRATH OF THE EAGLES: A Novel of the Chetniks. By Frederick Heydenau. Translated by Barrows Mussey. 318 pp. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co. $2.50.

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Serbian History 101
PA
United States
m.bizic@comcast.net